Machine for folding and stitching the edges of canvas



(No Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. A. KENNEDY 8: J. F. STEWARD. MAGHINE'FOR FOLDING AND STITOHING THEEDGES OF CANVAS.

Patented Sqpt,

(No Model.) I s Sheets-Sheet 2 B. A; KENNEDY 8v J. P. STEWARD.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING AND SITITOHING THE EDGES 0F GANVAS. No. 0,246.Patented S 11.3, 1889.

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B. KENNEDY & J. F. STEW MAG NE E LDING AND STITGH ED No. 4 46.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ING THE CANVAS. Paton .3, 1889.

.W fig UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

BURR A. KENNEDY AND JOHN F. STEVVARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING AND STITCHING THE EDGEIS OF CANVAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,246, datedSeptember 3, 1889.

Application filed June 25, 1888.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BURR A. KENNED and JOHN F. STEWARD, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Preparing Canvas for Use in the Manufacture of Conveying andElevating Aprons for Harvesting-Machines, &c.,of which the following isa full, clear, and exact specification, reference being had to thedrawings forming a part hereof.

In the manufacture of conveying and elevating aprons or belts forharvesting machinery it is the practice to turn the edges of the fabricinward and stitch them down upon the body portion, or, in other words,to hem the edges, and thereafter to apply wooden slats across the faceof the fabric.

The object of our invention is to provide a mechanism by which the twoedges of the heavy fabric may be hemmed and flattened downsimultaneously and rapidly preparatory to the presentation of the fabricto the machine which applies the slats.

Our invention embraces as essential elements a table or support for thefabric as it is drawn continuously from the roll, folding mechanisms toturn the two edges inward, a board or pressure device to maintain theextension of the fabric, pressure devices acting to flatten down thefolded edges, and two sewing-machines to stitch the folded edges, aswill hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of ourmechanism and of the slatting-machine arranged adjacent thereto. Fig. 2is a top plan View of our machine, the center portion being broken awayin order to reduce the width of the figure. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewshowing in longitudinal vertical section the folding, extending, andpressing devices at one side of the machine. Fig. 4 is a longitudinalvertical section on the line x 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectionthrough one side of the machine, showing a part of the foldingmechanism.

Referring to the drawings, E represents the roll of canvas or otherfabric supported horizontally in standards E. The end of the fabric iscarried from the roll upward over a supporting or guiding roll E andcarried Serial No. 278,181. a. model.)

thence forward over'the horizontal bed or table E, supported on a rigidframe D, which may be of any construction adapted to sustain the partshereinafter described. Beyond the edge of the table, after passing overthe table, the fabric passes between two horizontal power-driven rolls7?. h, which serve the double purpose of flattening down the foldededges and of feeding the fabric forward, so as to relieve the feedmechanism of the sewing-machines hereinafter described. Before thefabric reaches the rolls it is acted upon at the two edges by foldingmechanisms, whereby the edges are folded or turned inward. upon thebody. There are now known in the art various folding mechanisms whichmay be employed for this purpose; but we recommend the particulardevices shown in the drawings. These consist on each side of the machineof a plate f and a second plate g. The plate f is secured at its outerend to the bed or table, and has its inner end turned upward. in theform of an inverted V as shown in Fig. 3, whereby it is adapted to turnthe edge of the fabric upward and inward slightly past theperpendicular. The

second plate 9 is fixed rigidly to the table at I its outer end, but isslightlyelevated at the inner end, so as to overlie the edge of thefabric and complete the folding down of the edge.

In order to keep the fabric extended and to maintain a uniform widththereof a plate or board F is laid horizontally across the table betweenthe folding devices in position to rest on top of the fabric. This plateextends at the ends beneath the folding-plates g in order to prevent thelatter from folding the edges inward beyond the proper limit. The plateis held in position at each end by an arm f journaled at one end inabearing-blockf upon the plate, and j ournaled at the opposite end in asupporting-blockf on the bedor table. These arms, of a round form incrosssection, extend obliquely across the edge of the fabric between thefirst and second fold.- ing-plates, and assist the same in turning theedges down over the end of the plate 'F. After the fabric has passed thefolding devices and the rolls its edges pass through two sewing-machinesB B, seated on opposite sides of the frame.

These Ina-chin es, which are not in themselves claimed as of ourinvention, may be of any ordinary or approved form. Various machinessuitable for the purpose are now sold in the market. Each machine shouldcomprise, as usual, feeding and stitching devices, and the machinesshould be one right-handed and the other left-handed, in order that theymay act upon opposite edges of the fabric traveling between them.Driving mechanism of any suitable character may be employed forimparting motion to the rolls and the sewing-machines. \Ve recommend,however, the arrangement represented in detail in Figs. 1 and 2, inwhich G is a horizontal driving-shaft mounted in the base of themachine, and provided at one end with a pulley G, connected by a belt Grto a pulley G on one end of the roll h. The upper roll h is in thisinstance driven by the friction of the canvas passing between the two. Alever K, mounted on one side of the frame and provided at one end withan idler or tightener pulley acting on the belt G enables the operatorto stop and start the rolls at will, while the driving-shaft continuesin motion. The driving-shaft G is also provided with a second pulley Gfrom which a belt is extended to a pulley on the inner end of ahorizontal shaft H, seated in bearings in the base of the frame. Theshaft H is provided near each end with a pulley H, from which belt H isextended upward to the driving-pulley of the correspondingsewing-machine. Each side of the frame may be provided with atightener-lever L, acting on the adjacent belt H for the purpose ofstopping and starting the sewing-machine independently of the otherparts.

In order to adapt the machine for the production of aprons of differentwidths, the folding and sewing mechanisms may be made laterallyadjustable. In the drawings we have shown an extra series of holes 1, 2,3, 4, and 5 to receive the fastening-bolts of the folding devices at oneside of the machine, so that these parts may be unbolted from theposition in which they are shown and moved outward toward the edge ofthe table. When the folding devices are moved apart, the plate or boardF may be replaced by another of greater length; or the board F may bemade in two parts adjustable endwise in relation to each other to admitof its extension. One construction to this end is represented in dottedlines, which show the two parts with longitudinal arms or tongues 61,fitted together and held by a transverse clampingbolt d. These detailsof construction are not of themselves claimed as part of the invention.

The sewing-machines are arranged to slide inward and outward to and fromeach other, being guided at one side by means of lips I), seated inslots Z) in guide-plates 19 The clamp screws b or equivalent fasteningdevices maybe used to hold each machine in place;

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The canvas Wound upon the supporting-roll, as shown at E is carried overthe roll E and thence over the table through the folding devices beneaththe plate F and between the rolls h h to the sewing-machines. As thefabric moves forward its edges are folded inward before reaching therolls. The latter act to press the edges downward flatly and firmly uponthe body of the fabric. The pressure devices for this purpose are animportant feature of our machine, the weight and stiffness of thefabrics used for conveyeraprons being such that it is necessary tosubject'the folded edges to severe pressure in order that they may notspring upward from the surface. The power-driven rolls serve, also, as afeed mechanism, drawing the fabric forward forcibly through the foldingdevices and delivering it to the sewing-machines, which are thusrelieved from the excessive strain to which they would otherwise besubjected. Being located in advance of the sewing-machines, the rollsalso insure the feeding of the two edges of the fabric at the same speedand the delivery of the fabric in flat form, so that the machines may bebrought successfully thereon. After passing the sewing-machines thefabric escapes from the table.

\Ve are aware that folding devices and sewing-machines have beenarranged to act upon the two edges of a fabric simultaneously; but webelieve ourselves to be the first to employ a feed mechanism in advanceof the sewing-machines, the first to locate in advance of thesewing-machines a pressureplate to flatten and maintain the width of thefabric, and the first to employ between the folding devices and thesewing-machines a pressure mechanism to flatten down the folded edges.In some cases the stitching of the folded edges is omitted. In suchcases the sewing-machines of our structure may be removed or thrown outof action, in which case the remaining devices will act to fold andpress down the two edges of the fabric.

In order to facilitate the manufacture, we commonly locate theslatting-machineO adjacent to our mechanism, as shown in Fig. 1, passingthe end of the fabric over suitable guide-pulleys I I to the secondmachine.

The slatting-machine, as shown in the drawings, is not of our invention,being of the style known in the market as the Kingwell machine.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. The bed ortable and the two folding mechanisms at opposite sides, in combina tionwith the intermediate pressure -plate, the rolls beyond said plate, andthe two sewing-machines beyond the rolls, whereby the machine is adaptedto fold, press down, and finally stitch down the two edges of thefabric.

2. In combination with the table, the over lying plate F to act on topof the fabric, its sustaining-arms, the folding-plates f and thefolding-plate g, overreaching the end of plate F, as shown.

3. In a machine for folding and stitching the opposite edges of a fabricsimultaneously,

5 the combination of a supporting bed or table,'

a folding mechanism and a sewing mechanism at each side of the table,anda feed mechanism located between the folding and the sewingmechanisms and extending across the path of the fabric from side toside,where- 10 by the fabric is advanced equally at the two sides andthe feed devices of the sewing-machines relieved from labor.

BURR A. KENNEDY.

JOHN F. STEWARD. WVitnesses: it

A. L. UPTON, P. D. MIDDLEKAUFF.

